Delaney Got Sharked

Delaney wants to say, "Go Shark Yourself!" --at SharkYourself.com.
It's Shark Week on the Discovery Channel and she's very sad that we don't have cable.
Of course she's obsessed with sharks as much as I'm obsessed with Amy Grant. I'm trying to rack my brain for creative shark ideas for Christmas and her b-day next year...she has just about every book on the subject!

Tweens and Make-up

Tonight I followed a foul odor up the stairs...Turns out Laney and her friend Alison sprayed several squirts of Estee Lauder perfume all over each other and throughout the bathroom. Alison had lipstick smeared all over her lips and Laney experimented with other make-up I packed in a little kit I made her for fun.
I heard a statistic recently that tweens (8-12 year-old girls) spend $500 million a year on beauty products in America. Fragrances and body sprays are among the most popular beauty products that girls like to purchase. Thanks, Miley Cyrus and Hannah Montana! Seriously I couldn't believe that parents would actually let little girls wear a full face of make-up to school, no less spray their bodies with perfume. I was appalled. Kids really need to stay kids as long as possible. Laney knows that make-up for her is purely for fun. And Jeff wants to make clear that she's not allowed to date until she's 18.

Oak Run

Yesterday Jeff & I took the kids to Oak Run (it's a lake resort with a sandy area that somewhat resembles a beach). I wish I had pictures to show of Jeff dunking Max & Laney in the water and the kids making sandcastles, but my brilliant husband removed the memory card from my camera before we left so I don't have any tangible evidence to show of our wonderful time together. Thanks, babe!
Anyway, I was a happy "beach bum" Sunday afternoon and lazily spread on a towel to read "What Remains"--a memoir by Carole Radziwill, who married John F. Kennedy, Jr.'s cousin, Anthony. She lost her husband to cancer three weeks after the plane crash carrying JFK, Jr. and his wife. It's a heartbreaking book...I can't imagine carrying on after such an enormous loss. It was interesting to get a glimpse into the life of such a fascinating family.
Oh, how I miss lying on the beach whenever I want to on a whim...I can't wait to return to my home and enjoy what I now know is a luxury.

Putt Putt Fun

Tuesday night my women's group decided to play mini golf at Mt. Hawley's. I'm not much of a mini golf fan, but the ladies thought being outdoors in a fun setting would facilitate good discussion, as opposed to seeing a movie where you're static and staring at the screen. I'm all for talking...so I signed up to play. Thankfully we didn't keep score or else I would've been in last place! I kept shooting the ball in the water.

For the life of me I could never understand why people find it fun to pay tons of money to chase after a ball for hours on end. But I do love Amy Grant and Vince Gill oh-so-much and I even considered taking golf lessons because it's their passion. Amy and Vince are the spokespeople for Family Golf Month (which incidentally is July). Here they are pictured with their daughter, Corinna. Vince and Amy even created a mini golf course of sorts in their backyard. How fun would that be? Oh, to be rich!

Ok, back to Peoria...this is my friend Teri whacking her ball. Neither of us are big golf fans and actually spent more time talking in the parking lot in the dark on our way out (our conversation lasted well over and hour) than we did on the course!

Wedding Mania

"There are three things that last: faith, hope and love, and the greatest of these is love."
--1 Corinthians 13:13

Today Jeff & I enjoyed the incredible pleasure of seeing two of our dearest church friends (Jason & Jennifer) marry in a beautiful ceremony that spoke volumes of their impeccable taste in style and decor. Jeff was an usher for the wedding and looked gorgeous in his tux. There were 175 guests and Jeff was the most adorable and fun husband in the room. I wish I could get him dolled up every day! I was so moved during the exchange of their vows, in which they promised to love and cherish one another until death separates them.

As the bride and groom exited the church following the ceremony, we all threw rose petals at them. They were just glowing. Jason toasted his new wife as being the most precious person who brought in a wealth of blessings into his life. I got choked up, knowing the struggles they've endured to get to where they are.

This is a picture of Jennifer's niece and nephew who served as a flower girl and ring bearer, respectively. Actually, they're a part of a quadruplet clan--it was fun to see four nearly identical 3-year-olds run around. They're so much fun! The child pictured here is named Katherine and she'd always jump into my arms and give me a hug. She is the life of the party!

Or should I say that Jeff is the life of the party? Our small group kept screaming at us to get a room because Jeff was mighty frisky! I asked my friend to take pictures of us and he kept trying to feel me up and kiss me! And boy can he tear up the dance floor! We danced the night away and it was so much fun. We tried to take pictures but our camera wouldn't flash. I'm not much of a dancer and haven't been to nightclubs in ages but it was such a blast, I felt like a teenager again!

I cannot stress enough how beautiful the reception was. The flower arrangements were inventive and classic. Since it took place at Kickapoo Creek Winery, vases were filled with grape clusters and overflowed with roses that were three shades of pink. What a fabulous idea for a flower arrangement if one were to host a wine and cheese party!

It was an evening filled with love & laughter...and I hope they live happily ever after! This is a picture of Jeff with our pastor, Jim Powell. During the ceremony Jim challenged the happy couple to honor their vows and glorify Christ no matter how difficult life can be. Jason and Jennifer met in our small group and it's been neat to see how their pursuit of Jesus has brought them closer together and eventually bonded them as a single unit, cleaved together in Christ. We wish them much happiness and blessings in the years to come.